Stay tuned to Hong Kong investment residency and Hong Kong's economy: Wang Weijie, chairman of Hong Kong Television (HKTV), who previously did not obtain a free TV license from the Hong Kong government, recently announced that he will acquire China Mobile's subsidiary operating mobile television in Hong Kong, entering the mobile television market on July 1 next year.
According to reports from Hong Kong media, Wang Weijie recently announced the acquisition of a subsidiary with a central enterprise background under China Mobile, utilizing the radio frequency spectrum it holds to broadcast television programs online, with the launch date set for July 1 next year.
Wang Weijie stated that this acquisition is a purely commercial decision, asserting that the launch date has "absolutely no relation to politics". However, he mentioned that he "believes that Hong Kong currently needs a free and independent television station more urgently than a free television station".
HKTV previously did not obtain a government-issued free license. When questioned whether the central government "green-lighted" his station launch, Wang Weijie emphasized that "there has been no contact from central authorities, or the mainland, or the Hong Kong Liaison Office, or Hong Kong government officials; this is fundamentally a pure commercial acquisition". He also stated that the central authorities will not influence the news autonomy of the station.
Some media cited Hong Kong scholars suggesting that the acquisition could have been facilitated by the central government. Chung Kin Wah, deputy director of the Social Policy Center at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, stated that as China Mobile is a central enterprise, allowing Wang Weijie to acquire its mobile television business is likely a move from the central authorities.
China Mobile Hong Kong stated that based on operational assessments and company outlook over the past three years, it decided to sell CMHKCL to Hong Kong Television and reached a preliminary commercial agreement in August this year.
